Rent Deposit - Landlord making me a bit nervy!

NewFoundGlory_2

So...he's now saying you didn't pay a deposit?

What does he mean by 'I merely ask you stay two months in advance'...does he mean pay? In which case, surely you've overpaid rent now?

MercilessKiller

I have no idea! I've provided everything he's said to me so your guess is as good as mine.

A fellow tennant said if he means what he said, we could stop our standing order for our last month of rent (july) and he'd use the money we gave him for it and he'd have no damage deposit or anything for cleaning?

I'm very confused. He's saying it's not a deposit, though as previous emails show he has called it a deposit before, including when we first moved in.

The contract started in September and was for 10 months. When we moved in we paid £280 up front for the first month rent and £280 "damage deposit".

NewFoundGlory_2

I'd ask him to clarify if that is what he meant. If so, that's good for you as you wouldn't pay the last months rent - thus not having to deal with getting the deposit back at all...

katie1986

Hi OP

I'd be curious to know which landlord it is you rent from, as I've lived in Leeds for the past 4 years, in rented houses. You could PM me if you prefer?
I'd like to avoid using your LL when I find a new house to rent!

sooz

He's trying to get around the deposit scheme very very badly. There is a legitimate way (according to the RLA) to do this with 2 month's rent in advance, but the key point is not to call it a deposit! :rotfl:Oh, and not to take the payment for the last month.

B&T is right, if you & your flatmates are joint tenants, & jointly liable for the rent & the mess, it doesn't matter if you didn't use a particular bathroom of moved out early, you are all responsible for cleaning it. Hoover breaking is no excuse..if he didn't leave a mop does this mean you don't have to mop the floors? You can also sweep them, or borrow a hoover. Cans & bottles can't be hoovered up

It really depends on if you just want your money back , or want to risk more on taking your LL to court for the penalty for failing to protect your deposit. I'd be inclinded to look at the RLA website for how your LL was supposed to deal with the rent in advance/deposit, then thank him kindly for not using the scheme, & let him know you are stopping your direct debit, as you should when rent in advance is used instead of a deposit

Then let him try to take you to court. Keep all paperwork, & copies of emails.

Also let the uni accom office know about how he didn't protect the deposit.

MercilessKiller

I was going to ask if that's an option really.. Stopping the final months rent going out and thanking him for using the extra months rent in arrears rather than the deposit scheme!

I've left the Uni accomodaton office know.

Katie - I wouldn't worry This is somewhere in the midlands where I've been at University, though I am trying to look for places in Leeds without much luck haha!

Once again it's not necessarily cleaning the mess I'm against, but his procedure of how it's going to be done. Which is, I move out, he then bills me once i've gone, and then retursn the rest of the deposit, meanwhile won't give me any time scale or any indications at all!

My parents think he's trying to con us as he prob charged the last people "cleaning charges", though when I moved in my room was absolutely disgusting, which he was very apologetic for to my parents!

MercilessKiller

Before I email him notifying him of cancelling my standing order for the last month, can I have more advice/confirmation that this is ok really based on everything he's said? I just want to kind of make sure I won't be breaking the law really!

NewFoundGlory_2

If he has seemingly decided now that you did not pay a deposit, but two months rent in advance then you would not pay your last months rent as it is already paid. However, I don't think this LL has any idea what he is doing so I'd email him again to clarify that this is what your £280 was for and if so, then yes, cancel the standing order.

MercilessKiller

Thanks for the advice.

I've emailed the landlord asking to clarify whether it is indeed a deposit or the advanced rent as said in the latest email. I also said if indeed it is the advanced rent, I appreciate that as it makes things easier and I'll cancel the standing order for the last months rent.

Will update you with any reply

Also told him I'll ensure to be back the week before moving out to get the place cleaned up.

MercilessKiller

sooz wrote: »

It really depends on if you just want your money back , or want to risk more on taking your LL to court for the penalty for failing to protect your deposit.

To be honest I'm not fussed about getting any more than the deposit through court. As far as I'm concerned, it's my money and he's doing bad things with it (at least he hasn't got anything to prove otherwise!)

I just want to make sure I get my money back and thats it!

He hasn't replied to mail "thanking" him yet... Will let you know